Full bench plea: Coalition govt announces to boycott SC proceedings

ISLAMABAD: The coalition government has announced to boycott the court proceedings after the Supreme Court (SC) rejected to form a full bench for hearing the Punjab Assembly deputy speaker ruling case, ARY News reported on Monday.

While addressing a press conference at the Prime Minister’s House, the head of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that they raised a demand for the supremacy of law and justice in the country.

Fazlur Rehman said that the coalition government demands a full bench to hear the case instead of a three-member bench. “If a full bench is not formed, then we are rejecting the verdict of the court.”

He announced that the leaders of the coalition government will not appear before the three-member bench until a full bench is not formed.

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice-President Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that if someone points a finger at a judge or bench, then they should be separated from the case. “These decisions are commonly taken by the court wherever the law and constitution are supreme. We demand the full bench due to the sensitivity of the case as it is about the parliament.”

READ: ‘SC TO DECIDE ON AUTHORITATIVE POWER HELD BY PARTY CHIEF OR PARLIAMENTARY PARTY’

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reiterated the demand of the SC full bench. He said that they have demanded the supremacy of the law and dignity of the judiciary but it was rejected. He announced to boycott the SC proceedings.

SC rejects govt’s petition

The Supreme Court (SC) has rejected the government’s petition for the formation of a full court bench to hear the case of the Punjab chief minister’s (CM) election.

A three-member apex court bench, comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar, heard the plea filed by PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi challenging Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari’s ruling in CM Punjab election.

Pervaiz Elahi secured 186 votes against 179 votes of PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz. However, Mazari had dismissed PML-Q’s 10 votes after party head Chaudhry Shujaat asked them to vote in favour of incumbent chief minister Hamza Shahbaz.

During the hearing, CJP Umar Ata Bandial said that the court needs more legal clarification on certain things to decide about the formation of full court. The CJP also said that he was unsure whether the decision on the said ruling will be made today.

Last week, the top court asked Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz to stay “trustee” CM till Monday (July 25) and limited his powers, noting that if he appoints someone against merit, it will be considered null and void.